2018

A N N U A L R E P O R T

2018 by the N U M B E R S

DEC 2017 JUN 2018 DEC 2018

1500

1000

50043%IN E-NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIBERS

27new businesses

OPENED

9businesses

CLOSED

6businesses

MOVED

36,631social mediaFOLLOWERS

460+businesses

increase

SOLD OVER

$39Kin UpTown Dollars

70,000Event Visitors

JAZZ FESTIVAL20,000

LUMEN10,000

BUSKERS40,000

50+mediamentions

Increase in

S O C I A L M E D I Afollowers

$14KGIVEN TO THE Hand in Hand

PROGRAM

INSTAGRAM

FA C E B O O K 46%12.5%

RESTAURANTS & BARS

HEALTH & HOLISTIC HEALTH

FINANCIAL SERVICES

INCLUDING ADVERTISING & MARKETING, ARTS & CULTURE, BUSINESS CONSULTANTS, CAREER & EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, EYE CARE, LEGAL, PROPERTY MANAGEMENT & REAL ESTATE, SOFTWARE & I.T. AND MORE

10%

14%17%

19%

40%

INDUSTRY DIVERSITY

RETAIL

OTHER SERVICES

27,553Website Visitors

*

*THIS NUMBER IS AN ESTIMATE BASED ON FLAGSHIP EVENTS ONLY.

Welcome to the UpTown Waterloo BIA’s first ever Annual Report! Since 1972 we’ve been coordinating the organization, physical improvement and economic development of Uptown – helping to beautify and promote the heart of Waterloo. This report gives us a chance to reflect on the great successes of 2018 and also, the opportunities to make changes and improvements. This past year saw a lot of transformation for Uptown – some of it good, some of it difficult – all of it part of our evolution.Three new staff joined the BIA team in 2018 and we offered a fond farewell to long-time Executive Director Patti Brooks. Due to various different reasons, we said goodbye to nine businesses in 2018 and we know that there are others who continue to struggle after the last few years of construction. We also had reason to celebrate as we welcomed 27 new businesses to our Uptown family last year – with more on the way. Uptown’s updated streetscape, broad range of housing and diversity of businesses is gradually, yet purposely, bringing more people to visit, live, work and play in Uptown. Empty-nesters and families already living here are enjoying the unique lifestyle that Uptown Waterloo offers including excellent restaurants, walking trails, clothing stores, salons and spas. Young professionals are continuing to visit and move here for our cool vibe, bike trails, transportation choices, night-life and new condo developments.Together with our membership we are growing an important community legacy. This next year will see more changes for Uptown as we further establish ourselves as a place to “be” in Waterloo Region. The BIA will meet them with an open, can-do attitude, making sure we stay true to what’s important – thriving businesses and economy, healthy lifestyle options, beautiful and useful outdoor spaces, innovative learning opportunities, caring neighbourhoods, impactful arts and civic engagement, sustainable development – amongst others. Thank you for working with us, inspiring us daily and for joining us on the Uptown Waterloo journey.

Jeff Zavitz, Chair Tracy Van Kalsbeek, Executive Director

SERVICES PROVIDED TO MEMBERS IN 2018

GRANTS & FUNDINGGraffiti Removal Reimbursement: the UpTown Waterloo BIA assisted many businesses in covering partial costs of graffiti removal. Co-op Advertising: the UpTown Waterloo pays 50% of costs for businesses advertising in various local media, including newspaper, radio and television. Hand in Hand: Businesses can apply for $350 of funding from the BIA for their events.

ADVOCACY INITIATIVESGeneral Membership Meetings: In addition to the AGM, the BIA held two general membership meetings in 2018 in June and November. Sharing Panel - UpTown Brainery: The BIA introduced the “Brainery” series of events for businesses to learn about relevant topics. UpTown hosted its first Brainery event in November, featuring a panel of four experts in different areas.

Jeff Zavitz Tavis Roland Development

Nancy FoxInvestor’s Group

Melissa Durrell Durrell Communications

2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Paul LeveckChameleon Business Centres

Catherine McCallRegion of Waterloo

Lawrence GreavesOldfield, Greaves, D’Agostino & Scriven

Alnoor KeshvaniLoop Clothing

Kathy KingPrimus Property Management

Kirk VinesBeertown

Rami SaidPatent Social

Darlene PhohlSun Life Financial

Ryan GoodCabri Management

Josh BeanCity of Waterloo

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CHAIR 2018 HIGHLIGHTS

Natalie GalloMarketing & Communications Manager

Kristy SkeltonOffice & Programs Coordinator

Ashley GallantEvents & Outreach Manager20

18 S

TAFF

STRATEGIC PLAN REFRESH

Tracy Van KalsbeekExecutive Director

The Board and staff of the BIA embarked on a strategic plan refresh in 2018. Led by Rhapsody Strategies and their team of experts, we engaged in one-on-one meetings, surveys and a full day planning retreat to update our strategic plan. Our new goals include: building a bold, inventive and distinct brand and leadership team as well as providing a clear voice for our membership and embracing growth in our core. Questions? Tracy can answer them!

EVENT HIGHLIGHT: HOLIDAY MARKETPLACEIn 2018, the UpTown Waterloo BIA held its second annual Holiday Marketplace weekend from Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 2. Over the weekend, businesses hosted special events and promotions and the BIA offered holiday-themed programming throughout the core. In addition to visits with Santa, horse-drawn trolley rides and Nutcracker ballerinas posed in business windows, the BIA coordinated a number of new initiatives: Santa Paws, a chance for people to bring their pets to visit with Santa; Mistletoe Lane, an alleyway decorated with lights, decor and mistletoe where visitors could pose for selfies to post online; and by far the event’s most popular initiative, the Official Christmas Tree Lighting, which saw close to 500 people in Waterloo Public Square (unprecedented for UpTown Waterloo during a holiday event) and made the Holiday Marketplace weekend a stand-out event for 2018.

KEY MILESTONE: KING STREET STREETSCAPEWork began in 2010 to create a streetscape improvement plan for King Street between the Waterloo Public Square and Central Street, including improvements to the road, parking, sidewalks, vegetation, signage, street furniture and lighting. The project team, working with a task force of community representatives, first established a series of guiding principles for the Uptown Waterloo streetscape as a people-oriented place that balanced travel demand by cars, transit, cycling and walking. The project came to a pause in early 2011 when the Region of Waterloo announced plans for the development of the light rail transit (LRT) system. Construction of the LRT took precedence and the streetscape improvement construction did not begin until 2017. Phase 1 construction of the project (King Street from the Public Square to Bridgeport Road) began in the spring of 2017 and wrapped up in the fall of 2018.

Improvements include: • New amenities: street furniture, tree planting, landscaping and

LED lights;• Separated bike lanes on both sides of the street; • Mountable, roll-over curbs to improve pedestrian mobility and

cycling access to/from the bike lanes;• Wider sidewalks;• A single travel lane in each direction with wider lanes to provide

additional space for emergency service vehicles and stopped delivery vehicles;

• On-street parking stalls on the east side of the street.

Phase 2 will begin in the spring of 2019 and see improvements continued on King Street from Bridgeport Road to Central Street.

Did you Know? The new LED lights in

Uptown were made right here in Waterloo Region by LEDgendary Lighting and Weber Fabricating

Ltd. When the project is completed, a total of 57 stainless steel lighting

structures will illuminate the heart of Waterloo.

Each structure has 108 LED programmable lighting nodes – with a total of 6,156 individual bulbs.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT: SPOTLIGHT WATERLOOThe BIA debuted the Spotlight Waterloo development fund program in 2018. Spotlight Waterloo is designed to to encourage and support organizers in bringing vibrant and diverse events to UpTown Waterloo, that support existing business in the core. Organizers must match 50% of project expenses and may receive up to $5,000 for Spotlight Waterloo approved events. Five applications were approved for 2019. Stay tuned for more details!

Jeff Zavitz, ChairTracy Van Kalsbeek, Executive Director

UPTOWN IDENTITY

UPTOWN GROWTH

UPTOWN LEADERSHIP

A STRONG

sTRATEGIC PLAN

UPTOWNVOICE FOR